My First Book Review

So, I was fortunate enough to get to read Semper Cool: One Marine's Fond Memories of Vietnam by Barry Fixler.  I am pretty naive about Vietnam and what happened there.  I knew that it was brutal, but I didn't have any idea how brutal and I probably still don't even know the half of it.

I really like the way the book was written, kind of little stories within a story.  It really kept my interest peaked.  I went through a whole range of emotions too. I was laughing, crying and at times very scared for all military personnel involved.

I found the author to be a great storyteller.  He doesn't sensor, he tells it like it happened.  There is a lot of swearing and it can be pretty graphic, that said, it would not have been the same book had he censored. 
I would recommend this book to just about anyone (certain people may not be able to handle the swearing.) 

Barry Fixler has done some amazing things since he served in Vietnam.  He raised money for a soldiers family when that soldier was essentially dropped by the VA when recovering.  He fought off armed robbers at his jewelery store (see the video here.)  Now he is pledging to raise $1 million for wounded combat vets from Iraq and Afghanistan, amazing!

So, please go buy this book to help support a great cause and I hope you enjoy it as much as I did.

more fraud that the state allows!

This infuriates me!



or you can read the story here.

I know I usually don't post stuff like this but I just had to!  Is this really how we want our money spent?!

foot loose and facebook free!

So today I decided to put myself into detox. For Facebook that is.  I am so tired of the drama and moaning and groaning that I am putting a stop to it the only way I know how.  I liked the aspect of keeping up with friends because we all are so busy but I really noticed it was changing my mood every time I logged on and somebody else had some "trauma" going on.  Please don't take this the wrong way friends, I am here for you if you need support but right now that support will not be offered via the wide world of Facebook. So, until further notice you can reach me by phone. (I can't deprive grandparents of pics of Addy so those will still be posted through photoshop and probably blog post links since I will have more time to do this instead of surfing Facebook :)

the park

we went to the park tonight before dinner and all addy wanted to do was watch the big kids play tag. i just love her.

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and its only just begun...

The snow shouldn't even be falling yet according to the weather experts! Maybe we'll actually get a lot. We never do when they say we will, my fingers are crossed!

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race day!

Today marks the beginning of race season...so excited to root for Jimmie again!

(This is my first mobile blog post, sorry if it turns out weird)

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mothers day

I know it's not even close to Mothers Day but something got me thinking about it.  So, in our department mostly because of the union I think they encourage us to submit our vacation requests for the year during "open bidding" at the beginning of the year.  Management then goes through them and either grants or denies them based on whether someone on the same shift wants the same time off and who has seniority.  I was talking to one of my coworkers about how she got denied for her request for Mothers Day, she was so bummed.  She has three kids and wanted to spend the day with her family (we know we are scheduled to work it.)  She asked if I had asked for it off and I said no I hadn't even thought about it.  It's true I didn't think about it, but then I asked myself, why had you not thought about it?  I came to one conclusion: every day is Mothers Day here.  I have the best (most days) little girl in the world and a husband who is so understanding, thoughtful, amazing and helpful in my life around me every day.  I don't need to take one day a year to celebrate that.  They love me every day as if it's Mothers Day and I love them so much for that.  Although, I wouldn't mind an extra Sunday off though!

hmmm...

I don't have much to say this week but I do need to mention my friend Kim's blog giveaway.  How cool is that, she has such a great blog people are giving her stuff to giveaway!!!  She is a navy wife and mom (and my friend Cerisa's littlest sister.)  She has a great blog and she also has a book club that she does.  I just love reading about what's going on in Connecticut with her and her little family and the things she goes through, like when her husband was deployed...I cannot imagine.  So if you get a chance to check our her blog!




Look who's getting into trouble...

She's figuring out how to move stuff around so she can stand on something and grab stuff she's isn't suppose to...oy!

Date Night / Pictures / Finger Paints

Oh my gosh it was so nice to get out of the house and have a drink (or two) and see a movie.  I love my little girl but it was just so laid back being out without a baby.  JC's parents came over after we put Addy to bed and we headed out to Amigos for our favorite jumbo cadillac margaritas, oh so good.  We also got an appetizer that was sauteed shrimp and mushrooms, very tasty!

We saw No Strings Attached with Ashton Kutcher and Natalie Portman.  I really like both of them as actors and then to see them in a rom-com was so perfect.  I really enjoyed the movie.  It was a cute date night kinda movie, a little predictable,  with some good laughs though (i snorted often.)  I have really liked Ashton Kutcher's latest flicks like Killers with Katherine Heigl.  And have you ever heard the story of JC and I having drinks with Natalie Portman in Hawaii, yeah it happened.

We had a killer sunset the other night.  I snapped this pic from our deck and it is unedited.

beautiful sunset

And then I found this other one on the camera that I snapped of the Olympics while JC was driving on our way to his parents house one frosty morning.

snowcapped olypics

I love photography!

I was at Michaels the other day and decided it would be fun to try and finger-paint with Addy, so I got paints and a large book of paper.  Before her bath on Friday I stripped of her clothes and tried to show her how to paint.  Well...she absolutely does not like having her hands in paint. I don't know if it was the wet feeling or what but she hated it!  So I ran upstairs and got her a brush and that was so much better.  She would pick the color, hold it over the paper and squeeze, then grab her brush and go about it.  It was pretty cute.  So if you are in the market for an Addyson original let me know and I'll have her whip one up for you!

It's been so long!

So a lot has happened since the last time I posted.  Addy turned one! (and now she's already 15 months!)

she's so silly

tutu butt

her first cupcake!

And then we had Thanksgiving at Grandma and Grandpa Dahlbeck's house.  Addy loved all the food. I swear the kid never gets full!

Then there was Christmas at our house, everyone was here.  Addy love opening presents, she got lots of practice because she is so spoiled.

christmas morning. santa brought her a quad!

taking time to play with a box

a bear her cousins sent her

again with the box

so full after all the good food

Then Addy had her first visit to the ER (12/26) after Chester threw her forehead first into the wall.  She is fine, just a lump and a bruise.

Then came New Years and my birthday both just spent quietly at home.  Oh and I got a Kindle!  I absolutely LOVE it.  I haven't read a book pretty much since Addy was born but this makes it so easy.  I take it everywhere!

JC and I have been snowboarding a few time this season.  Addy goes to visit grandma D and we hit the mountains, works great!  We have thoroughly enjoyed being back on the hill.

So now you are pretty much up to date.  A few things about Addy these days:

1. she walks up the stairs now, no more climbing them.
2. she has two dolls that she has to take EVERYWHERE with her now.  I had a hard enough time keeping track of one and now two...ugh.
3. she loves veggies, carrots a lot.
4. she like to give fist bumps and hi-fives. but she can't just give them to one person, she has to go around the room to everyone.
5. she loves eating in restaurants. mostly because she gets to eat from both of our plates and because she gets milk in a cup with a straw.

Okay that's all...I think.